<P>Exercises to Improve Patellar Femoral Malalignment When you bending and straightening <B><a href="http://www.valentinoshoesonline.com/">Valentino Shoes Sale</a></B> your knee, your kneecap is supposed to move smoothly along a groove in the lower part of your thighbone, also known as the distal femur. If the bones in <B><a href="http://www.valentinoshoesonline.com/">Valentino Shoes Online</a></B>your legs aren aligned correctly, however, the movement of your kneecap or patella is affected, which can be painful. Sometimes malalignment has to be surgically treated, but you might be able to avoid an operation by strengthening the muscles in your legs.
<P>Exercises for Quadriceps Your quadriceps are the muscles that keep your patella in line, so weak thigh muscles can increase your chances of developing patellar femoral malalignment. Lunges and leg presses will build your quads to help keep your kneecaps on the right track. Squats can be useful for building strong thigh muscles, too, but it best not to overload your knees with a lot of weight if you experiencing pain from patellar femoral malalignment. One isometric quad exercise is performed by placing a rolledup towel under one knee as you sit or lie with your legs extended. Press down on the towel with the back of your knee, tightening the quadriceps as you do so. Hold this tensed position for a count of 10, then relax for five to 10 seconds and repeat for eight to 12 reps, completing a total of three sets. <B><a href="http://www.valentinoshoesonline.com/">Valentino</a></B> Another useful quadstrengthening isometric exercise is the wall squat. One version of this exercise recommended by Idaho physical therapy assistant Rebecca Peterson starts with standing about a foot away from a wall with your back to it, then leaning back so that the wall is supporting you. Slide your back down the wall as you bend your knees into a 30 degree angle, coming into a shallow squat. </P>